In their rush to brandish pitchforks over “Orphan Black” star Tatiana Maslany’s nominations snub, some Emmy watchers overlooked a surprising addition to the familiar lineup of lead-actress nominees: Lizzy Caplan. She earns her first Emmy nod for playing sex researcher Virginia Johnson in the Showtime series “Masters of Sex.”

In the period drama, which begins its second season July 13th, Caplan’s character pursues taboo science with partner William H. Masters, played by Michael Sheen. For the actress, who was primarily known for comedic roles in movies such as “Mean Girls” and TV shows like “Party Down,” getting cast in the 1950s drama came as a shock that hasn’t quite subsided.

“In the first season, there was a lot of convincing myself in my trailer that I deserved to be there,” she said, during a morning phone call just after the Emmy nominations were announced. “Now, in the second season, I feel like I’ve somewhat earned my place at the table. It was easier to slip back into the clothes and the mindset of Virginia Johnson. I know who this character is and I truly love her.”

“I knew that people were surprised that I was able to pull off a dramatic role, because they had such a fixed image in their minds of me as a comedic actress. And to be honest, that’s the image I thought of about myself. For all of us who go into this business to take on a wide range of roles, there’s nothing less frustrating than being typecast. If anything, maybe this will help casting directors look at comedic actresses in a new light,” she said, adding that it was an “injustice” that Sheen wasn’t nominated.

She didn’t know which of her performances Showtime had submitted for the Emmy contention, but she said one of the most challenging moments of the first season came in episode 11, when she sang the country standard “You Don’t Know Me.” For her character, a former lounge singer, it wasn’t a stretch. But for the actress, it was “more scary than anything else,” including nude scenes and simulated sex while hooked up to wires.

Caplan said, “Anytime I’m asked to do something that’s particularly terrifying and I manage to pull it off in a handy way, that sustains me through the days when I’m not as excited about this thing I do for a living.”